Best Public Schools in Thorp, WI

Thorp, Wisconsin is a small city in Clark County served by two schools — Thorp Elementary (PK–8, 321 students) and Thorp High (9–12, 181 students) — both part of the Thorp School District, which enrolls 502 students in total and shares a single campus location on S Clark St.

The strongest shared traits are attendance and completion. Chronic absenteeism is 6.8% at Thorp Elementary and 6.9% at Thorp High, far below Wisconsin's 17.3%, and the elementary's dropout rate is 0.0% while the high school's is 0.5%. Thorp High graduates 97.5% of students, above the state's 92.0%. Per-student spending is nearly identical (about $15,600), so resources alone don't explain the differences between the schools. Academically, the picture is more mixed. Thorp Elementary is strong in social studies (about 74% proficient versus roughly 65% statewide) and 8th-grade science, and 6th-grade math stands out at 72.97%. But the elementary has slid from 4 stars / 74th percentile in 2023–2024 to 2 stars / 42nd percentile in 2025–2026, with sharp weak spots in 7th-grade ELA and math (25% each) and 5th-grade ELA (28.21%). Thorp High improved from 1 star / 12th percentile to 2 stars / 30th percentile, and its 10th-grade social studies rose from 36.36% to 57.69%, now above the state. Its ACT results, however, remain well below state in ELA, math, and science.

For parents, the takeaway is that both schools do well at keeping students in class and getting them to graduation, and both show real strengths in social studies. Core reading, math, and ACT proficiency are the areas to watch — especially middle-grade ELA and math at the elementary and college-readiness measures at the high school. The overall district rating is 1 star / 24th percentile, but each school shows pockets of strength worth noting.